Plum Crunch From Barefoot Contessa Food

ROASTED PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a medium (10-inch) ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the plums, apple, brown sugar, orange juice, Port, cinnamon, star anise, mace, and salt. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, place in the oven, and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and syrupy.
• Remove from the oven and discard the star anise and cinnamon stick. (Be careful; I wrap a kitchen towel or oven mitt around the handle of the pan to remind myself that it's very hot!) Mash the fruit roughly with a dinner fork. Serve at room temperature or cold with cheese and crackers.

PLUM CAKE "TATIN"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the plums.
• Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

PLUM CLAFOUTIS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange 2 racks equally spaced in the oven. Place six (6 1/2-inch) individual gratin dishes on 2 sheet pans.
• In a small bowl, combine the vanilla seeds with the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Butter the six gratin dishes well with the butter and sprinkle the dishes with the vanilla and sugar mixture. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and the 2/3 cup sugar on medium speed, until blended. Lower the speed and add the flour, cream, milk, and Armagnac. Whisk in the star anise and salt just until combined and set aside for 10 minutes. The batter will look like pancake batter.
• Cut the plums in half through the stem, discard the pits, and cut each half in wedges, again cutting through the stem. Distribute half a plum to each gratin dish, placing them in a pinwheel pattern. Distribute the batter evenly in the gratins (the plums will only be half immersed in the batter) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the custard is just set.
• Sprinkle with the orange zest and serve hot or warm.

PLUM CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Spread the plums out into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. In a bowl, mix together 3/4 cup white sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine with beaten egg and spoon the mixture over the plums. Drizzle batter with melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the topping is brown, about 40 minutes.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S PLUM RASPBERRY CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the sliced plums, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the flour, and the orange juice and toss well.
• Add the raspberries and toss lightly.
• Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.
• For the topping, place the remaining 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to combine.
• Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the oats, and work it with your hands until it's in large crumbles.
• Add 1/2 cup of the almonds and mix well.
• Spread the topping evenly over the plums, making sure the fruit is covered.
• Sprinkle with some extra almonds.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

PLUM CAKE " TATIN" BAREFOOT CONTESSA - INA GARTEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F; generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.
• Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the plums.
• Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate.
• If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S PLUM TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, walnuts, and sugar in a large bowl.
• Add the butter and the egg yolk.
• Mix, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.
• Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan.
• Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down, to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way inches
• Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums.
• Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it's lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling.
• Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the pan and transfer the tart to a flat plate.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• **Cooling time is not included in cooking time.